McLaren, Hamilton and Red Bull praise Mercedes’ ninth title

Mercedes’ ninth Constructors’ Championship drew congratulations from rivals after the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix, including McLaren, the 2025 champion. George Russell’s fourth place and Kimi Antonelli’s fifth were enough to secure Mercedes’ first constructors’ title since 2021. Its ninth crown puts the team level with Williams, behind Ferrari (16) and McLaren (10).

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton, who won six of his seven drivers’ titles with Mercedes, congratulated his former team on Instagram. He said he was happy for Mercedes and that the title was well deserved.

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies praised Mercedes’ work, saying it had shifted its focus to the 2026 project earlier than most teams in 2025 and turned that early switch into lap time. He said Mercedes began the 2026 season with more than a second’s advantage over Red Bull.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella also congratulated Mercedes after the race. He said winning in Formula 1’s highly competitive environment reflected strong work at Mercedes and merited recognition. Chief executive Zak Brown congratulated Mercedes and HPP on X and said he looked forward to fighting for the Constructors’ title again in 2027.